adminCRAIG Ervine scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket to help put Matabeleland Tuskers in the driving seat on day three of their Logan Cup match at home to Mountaineers at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday. Ervine scored 203 as the hosts took an innings lead and later on assuming total control of the match by reducing the visitors to 207 runs, at stumps, for seven wickets in their second innings.
Mountaineers lead by slender 65 runs with three wickets remaining going into the final day.
Tuskers had started off day-three action on 334 for five wickets, but could only add 52 more runs on the board before their first innings folded at the stroke of lunchtime.
Irvine, mixing caution with aggression, anchored the home side’s innings for 497 minutes, facing 382 balls on his way to a mammoth 203 that helped take the total to 386.
Apart from the 30-year-old left-hander’s impressive performance with the bat, Luke Jongwe with 44 runs and Taffy Mupariwa with 45 not out also made significant contributions as Tuskers made a strong response to Mountaineers’ first-innings total of 244.
At the second time of asking, Vusumuzi Sibanda (90) and Hamilton Masakadza (50) tried to resurrect the Mountaineers innings from a shaky 71 for two in a 69-run third-wicket stand.
Sibanda, who hit 140 in the first innings, had appeared on course to his second century of the match until he was trapped leg before wicket by John Nyumbu, who also claimed the scalp of Donald Tiripano for a duck.
Keith Dabengwa and Luke Jongwe also claimed two wickets apiece, although Tawanda Mupariwa’s fiery five-over spell, which included three maidens and cost only two runs, certainly did not go unnoticed.
With Mountaineers leading by 65 runs with three wickets in hand at stumps, the visitors will certainly have to perform some Houdini act if they are to stop Tuskers from bagging this one. — Zimcricket/Sports Reporter
Online Reporter